A Harris Poll released July 21 found that a full 50 percent of U.S. respondents -- up from 36 percent last year -- said they believe Iraq did have the forbidden arms when U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, an attack whose stated purpose was elimination of supposed WMD. Other polls also have found an enduring American faith in the WMD story.

"This finding just has to cause despair among those of us who hope for an informed public able to draw reasonable conclusions based on evidence," Massing said.

Associated Press Half of U.S. Still Believes Iraq Had WMD August 7, 2006

Welcome to the club, Mike.

What the health of the Republic requires . . . may not be a new crop of leakers and whistleblowers, or a fresh young generation of Woodwards and Bernsteins -- or even a more independent, aggressive media. What it may need is a new population (or half of a population, anyway), one that hasn't been stupified or brainwashed into blind submission, that won't look upon sadistic corruption and call it patriotism, and that will refuse to trade the Bill of Rights for a plastic Jesus and a wholly false sense of security.

Whiskey Bar Sore Throat June 3, 2005

Given my current opinion of "democracy" in America, I think at this point I'd settle for a reasonably competent military junta -- that is, as long as it didn't shoot too many people.

Unless you're the one to be shot.

I mean, despair is one thing, but come on, military junta. I've heard that before, by the way, beating up on Billmon isn't the point.

If you think so little of your fellow citizens that you wouldn't mind a bunch of them shot because they don't follow the news, Jesus, get out and talk to people. Polling only goes so far. You actually have to talk to people, like they're doing in Connectitcut. You know, ask people what they think, make a connection between the news and how normal people see it.

It's easy to sit back and say people are stupid, but it's more complicated than that. Most people don't follow the news, hell, most people can't find Salt Lake on a map. They know their lives and what is working and what isn't. You ask them about Iraq, and they say what you want to hear.

Again,it's easy to call for solutions you don't think will affect you. When the military intelligence team pulls up to your house, that getting shot thing will seem very different.